TikTok’s U.S. separation was supposed to resolve national security concerns. Instead, it introduced something new — and far more personal.
Under its updated U.S. privacy policy, TikTok now collects precise location data, tracks AI interactions, and expands how user data can be used for advertising, partnerships, and platform optimization. For most users, the change arrived quietly — another privacy policy accepted, another update clicked through.
But precise GPS data isn’t just a data point. It’s a map of habits, routines, relationships, and future behavior.
In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack what TikTok’s new data practices actually mean — beyond the headlines.
What changed after TikTok became a U.S.-specific entity
Why precise location data is one of the most valuable data assets in tech
How expanded ad targeting reshapes user behavior and platform power
The role of infrastructure players like Oracle and questions of data custody
Why “first-party data” often isn’t as contained as it sounds
How algorithms can shift influence subtly — without users noticing
The real tradeoff users face: community and reach vs. privacy and control
This isn’t just about TikTok — or even social media.
It’s about how data collected in the name of convenience becomes leverage, how location data can be interpreted far beyond “where you are,” and how national security arguments can quietly evolve into broad data collection regimes.
You may feel like you have nothing to hide.
The harder question is whether you still have a real choice.
What this episode coversWhy this matters
🔗 Connect with Us
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/👤 Harinda: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/
